Army, govt working together, not at odds

Bangladesh Army and the government are working hand in hand to safeguard the country's interests and sovereignty, and there is no confrontation or discord between them.

Senior officers of the Army Headquarters made the remarks while addressing reporters at a press conference at the Officers' Mess in Dhaka Cantonment yesterday.

Brig Gen Md Nazim-ud-Daula, director of the Military Operations Directorate (MOD), said, "This is our country. Its welfare and sovereignty are deeply connected to all of us. If we want to keep this country safe, we have to do it ourselves. And if anything goes wrong, we are equally responsible for that too."

Responding to a journalist's question about the "humanitarian corridor", he urged the media not to misrepresent the ongoing discussions regarding the government-military relationship.

"I don't believe this issue has reached a point to warrant such criticism or speculation. The government and the Bangladesh Army are working in close coordination and complementing each other. We follow the government's directives. There is no reason to interpret it otherwise," he said.

When his attention was drawn to debates in social media, Nazim said, "Sometimes, even in families, there can be misunderstandings. Similarly, different stakeholders may express varying opinions in the course of running a country. But that does not mean there's division or conflict. Nothing of that sort has happened."

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He reiterated that the military has always worked with the government and will continue to do so in future.

"Let us not overcomplicate things. The government and the army are not at odds. We are working together, and I firmly believe we will continue to do so even more effectively in the days ahead."

Addressing the issue of the "humanitarian corridor" raised in some media reports, Nazim clarified, "When I spoke about the Bangladesh-Myanmar border issue and the activities of ARSA, I never used the term 'corridor' ... The movement of armed groups at the border has no connection to any corridor matter."

Col Md Shafiqul Islam, colonel staff of the MOD, echoed the sentiment.

In reply to reporters' query about the army's stance on corridor, Shafiqul said, "The 'corridor' is a sensitive issue. Let me be clear—Bangladesh Army will never be involved in any action that may compromise national security."

Responding to rumours about the army taking over state power, he said, "There has been no such discussion within the army. We have no intention, no interest, and no information to suggest anything of that sort.

When asked about a media report claiming that the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) had ordered 3,000 uniforms from a local garment factory, Nazim said the report appeared credible and was being investigated.

"We're trying to verify for whom the uniforms were made... We are not taking this lightly. It concerns national security," he added.

Responding to concerns about groups like ARSA or JSS compromising the border, Brig Gen Nazim said, "Absolutely not. We will never compromise our sovereignty. This is our country, and we will protect it at any cost."

Regarding ARSA's armed movement near the border, he described the Bangladesh–Myanmar border as "extremely sensitive", with the Arakan Army controlling most of Rakhine State.

"In such a power vacuum, movements of armed groups are not unexpected. But we're not turning a blind eye. The BGB is on high alert, with army support…," he said.

Asked whether Lalmonirhat Airport was being activated for Chinese use, Nazim dismissed any such speculation.

"The airport is being revived to support national needs, including the Aerospace University. I have no information about Chinese involvement. Rest assured, no foreign entity will be allowed to operate in a way that harms our security or national interest."

On undocumented individuals being pushed across the border, he said, "Push-ins are unacceptable. The BGB is handling it efficiently, and if needed, the army will step in under government instruction."

At the beginning of the briefing, Col Shafiqul said the army recovered 241 illegal firearms and 709 bullets over the past 40 days.

He added that so far this month, 1,969 individuals linked to various crimes were arrested.

As part of the anti-narcotics drive, 487 drug dealers were arrested over the last 40 days.

The army is conducting a two-week special traffic operation to ensure safe and smooth travel of Eid holidaymakers.